Australians travelling to Bali will now have to pay a ‘tourist tax’
Aussies traveling to Bali will now be saddled with a ‘tourist tax’ as the holiday island appears to discourage ‘cheap tourists’
- Holidaymakers to Bali must pay an additional $15 tax
- Entrance fee must be paid upon arrival, like at the airport
Foreign visitors to Bali will have to pay an entry fee of 150,000 Indonesian rupiah in a new tax designed to boost revenue and discourage “cheap tourists.”
The tax, which amounts to about $15 Australian dollars, must be paid electronically on arrival at designated foreign entry points, such as air and seaports, from 2024.
Bali has taken a number of measures in recent months to raise the ‘quality’ of holidaymakers and shake off the island’s reputation as a budget destination.
Foreign visitors to Bali will have to pay an additional $15 tax on arrival from next year
The tax, along with instructional billboards and pamphlets, hope to boost tourist behavior while generating revenue
“We set the fee at IDR 150,000 for one visit to Bali, with the amount in rupiah to avoid following the fluctuating dollar exchange rate,” Governor Wayan Koster said at the Bali Regional Representative Council (DPRD) office on Wednesday.
The tax is authorized by a recently enacted Indonesian law that gives Bali’s local authorities the authority to levy charges on international tourists.
More than two million foreign tourists visited Bali in 2022, so at least AUD$30 million in new revenue from the tax would be generated, with Governor Koster saying numbers are not expected to drop.
“We will use the money for the environment, culture and we will build better quality infrastructure so that traveling to Bali will be more comfortable and safer,” Koster told reporters.
“These funds will be managed by the relevant regional authorities in a planned, targeted, transparent and accountable manner.”
It was rumored that the tax being considered by President Joko Widodo’s administration could have been as high as $150 and could be implemented alongside tourist instruction boards and pamphlets to improve behavior.
The holiday hotspot relies on foreign money, but after a few quiet years, Indonesians seem to be losing patience with rambunctious and rumbling tourists flocking back to their shores post-Covid.
“Tourist tax revenues would help fund a range of measures and prevent Bali from being known only as a low-cost destination,” said Bali Tourism Board chairman Ida Bagus Agung Partha Adnyana.
‘Cheap destinations attract cheap tourists who often cause a lot of problems.’
In 2022, about two million foreigners visited the Indonesian island of Bali
Indonesian officials said the tax would raise the quality of tourists and prevent the island from being seen as a “cheap” destination
While Bali is less strict than the rest of Indonesia, the country is very conservative with many locals frowning at excessive drinking or scantily clad social media photos at temples.
In April, a Russian woman was deported for posting a nude photo of herself in front of a sacred tree, while in June a Danish woman was deported for flashing the public while riding a scooter.
According to the Indonesian Hotel General Managers Association, foreigners acting as tour guides or renting out scooters, taking money from local businesses, have also become a problem.